Back to the Future
by danrdarrenc
Summary: What would happen if Harry accidently was sent back to the time of the Marauders? Could he get out without damage? Or could things go terribly wrong?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

Harry Potter sat on the edge of his camp bed in the topmost bedroom of the Burrow. He was rummaging through his Hogwarts trunk, cleaning it out, despite the fact that he had finished school two years ago and had cleaned it out before he went on his journey to vanquish Voldemort. He was half-listening to the ranting of Ron Weasley who was sitting on his own bed that was covered in Chudley Cannons bedding. Ron was complaining about a fight that he and Hermione Granger had had the previous day.

"Look, why don't you just apologize to Hermione?" said Harry to his friend rather exasperatedly.

"She started it," said Ron indignantly.

"So? You should know from when we were in school that if you wait for Hermione to apologize to you, you will be waiting forever. And, personally, I would like it if you two were talking to each other at my wedding in two weeks," said Harry, looking up from his trunk.

"Exactly what I said to Hermione just now," said Ginny, Ron's little sister and Harry's fiancée, as she entered Ron's room and sat down of the edge of Harry's bed.

"Well, we can't tell Ron and Hermione what to do. If our Best Man and Maid of Honor aren't talking to each other at our wedding, well, then, it will be on their consciences that they made it a tense wedding instead of a happy one," said Harry, smiling.

"Yes. I guess so," agreed Ginny, smiling back at her soon-to-be-husband.

"Fine. I'll go talk to Hermione," said Ron, scowling. He left.

"What are you doing, Harry?" asked Ginny, as Harry returned to pulling things out of his trunk.

"Cleaning."

"Why? Didn't you do this before you went after the Horcruxes?"

"Yeah. But it seems that my trunk re-filled itself while I was away."

"Here. I'll help. We can get it done quicker together. Then I can kick your ass at Quidditch," said Ginny, smiling and beginning to dig into Harry's trunk.

"Oh really?" Harry asked delicately, raising his eyebrows.

"Yeah. Really."

"OK, then. Let's do this," said Harry, diving back into his trunk.

"Hey, what's this?" asked Ginny. From the trunk she had pulled a gold necklace with an hourglass on the end.

"It's a Time-Turner," Harry said, amazed, taking it from Ginny.

"But didn't we smash them all when we were at the Ministry five years ago?"

"That's what the _Prophet_ said, but this one must have fallen into my pocket when I was chasing and hiding from the Death Eaters."

"Cool. What else do you have in here, Harry?"

"I don't know."

"Well, let's find out," said Ginny, all thoughts of Quidditch gone.

"Let's find out what?" Hermione said, coming into the room holding Ron's hand.

"I see you two worked things out," Harry said.

"Yes."

"Look what I found in Harry's trunk," Ginny said, holding up the Time-Turner.

"Harry, that's a Time-Turner!" Hermione said breathlessly.

"Yeah. I know. Thanks."

"But _The Daily Prophet_ said that we smashed them all," Hermione said.

"I know, but apparently this one fell into my pocket when I was fighting the Death Eaters."

"Maybe. But it looks different from the one I used back in the third year. Don't you think, Harry?" Hermione asked, taking the necklace from Ginny and examining it.

"Yeah. It does look a little different."

"You should put this away, Harry," said Hermione, suddenly serious. "You don't want to accidentally turn back time." Hermione handed the Time-Turner back to her friend.

"Good point," Ginny said, handing the necklace over to Harry.

"I'll put it around my neck so it doesn't get lost and put it away safely when I've finished clearing out my trunk," Harry said, putting the device around his neck. "Let's all see what junk is in here together. Then we can play Quidditch."

"Great idea."

The four friends began to pull objects and clothes out of Harry's trunk and to pile them on the floor. As he dove in and out of his Hogwarts suitcase, the Time-Turner swung precariously back-and-forth on Harry's neck. Unnoticed by anyone, the little hourglass on the end of the gold chain turned, alternately, forward and back seven times. Harry, busy liquidating his old school things, did not notice that the room around him was rewinding and changing appearance at top speed; when, finally, he looked up to examine an old pair of socks, Harry realized that he was no longer in Ron's bedroom at the Burrow.

Looking around, Harry realized that he was on the grounds of Hogwarts in front of an old beech tree under which he, Ron, and Hermione had sat during their school days. The sun was shining, reflected in the surface of the Black Lake. Just as his situation registered in his head, Harry heard voices coming from the castle. Quickly he dragged his trunk and moved behind the beech tree. Peering out ever so slightly from his hiding place, Harry's mouth fell open as he saw the crowd of people that was entering the grounds. At the head of the group of fifth years were four people that Harry knew very well: Peter Pettigrew, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and his own father, James Potter. Straggling a few feet behind the marauders was another person Harry knew but was less excited to see: Severus Snape. From behind the tree Harry saw, too, his mother, Lily Evans, walk to the edge of the Black Lake, take off her shoes and socks, and dip her feet into the water along with her laughing, talking friends. Snape absentmindedly sat down a few feet away from the marauders and began to read the piece of paper that was in his hand. As he and his friends sat down in front of the beech tree behind which Harry was hidden, James pulled out of his pocket a tiny Golden Snitch.

"Where'd you get that?" Sirius asked.

"Nicked it," said James casually.

Harry saw his father allow the Snitch to fly about a foot away and seize it at the last moment. And suddenly Harry knew exactly in what year he had landed and what was about to occur.

Harry sat back behind the trunk of the tree and closed his eyes. _I should have listened to Hermione and put the Time-Turner away._ Harry put his hand up to neck to discover that he was no longer wearing the Time-Turner. Harry panicked. _Where did the Time-Turner go? I can't believe that I am going to witness this for a third time, _Harry thought to himself. _There is no way that I can get out of here and try and find Dumbledore to help me get back to my time without being seen._

"Put that away, will you?" Harry heard Sirius say, as James made a fine catch and Wormtail let out a cheer. "Before Wormtail wets himself from excitement." Peering out from behind the tree again Harry saw James smile.

"If it bothers you," James said, stuffing the Snitch back in his pocket.

"I'm bored," said Sirius. "Wish it was full moon."

"You might," said Lupin darkly from behind the book he was reading. "We've still got Transfiguration, if you're bored you could test me….Here." He held out his book. Harry had to move behind the tree quickly to remain undetected by Lupin.

Sirius snorted. "I don't need to look at that rubbish. I know it all." From behind the tree Harry smiled to himself at the air of coolness that his godfather emitted.

"This'll liven you up, Padfoot," said James quietly. "Look who it is…."

Sirius's head turned. He had become very still, like a dog that has scented a rabbit. Still in hiding, Harry, too, became very still with anticipation and regret at having to see for a third time his father torment Snape in front of Lily. _But I know why Snape said what he said now. It wasn't out of spite or hatred. It was embarrassment, _Harry thought to himself, as, suddenly, he had every inkling to watch what was going on between the Marauders and Snape.

"Excellent," Sirius said softly. _"Snivellus."_

As Snape moved out from the shadows of the tree under which he had been sitting and set off across the grass to go back to the castle, Sirius and James stood up. Harry poked his head out from behind the beech tree and could see perfectly what was going on, while still remaining hidden behind Wormtail and the tree.

"All right, Snivellus?" said James loudly.

Snape reacted so fast it was as though he had been expecting an attack: Dropping his bag, he plunged his hand inside his robes, and his wand was halfway into the air when James shouted, _"Expelliarmus!" _

Snape's wand flew twelve feet into the air and fell with a little thud in the grass behind him. Sirius let out a bark of laughter. Harry, still hidden, was torn between laughter and disapproval.

"_Impedimenta!" _Sirius said, pointing his wand at Snape, who was knocked off his feet, halfway through a dive toward his own fallen wand.

Students all around had turned to watch. Some of them had gotten to their feet and were edging nearer to watch. Some looked apprehensive, others entertained.

Snape lay panting on the ground. James and Sirius advanced on him, wands up, James glancing over his shoulder at the girls at the water's edge as he went. Harry knew whose attention it was that James wanted: Lily Evans. Wormtail was on his feet now, watching hungrily, edging around Lupin to get a clearer view. Harry, who was paying attention to James, Sirius, and Snape, pulled his eyes away from the three on the grass long enough to notice that Peter was moving. He quickly sat back on his haunches to avoid being brushed against as Wormtail moved closer to James and Sirius.

"How'd the exam go, Snivelly?" said James.

"I was watching him, his nose was touching the parchment," said Sirius viciously. "There'll be great grease marks all over it, they won't be able to read a word."

Several people watching laughed; Snape was clearly unpopular. Wormtail sniggered shrilly. Snape was trying to get up, but the jinx was still operating on him; he was struggling, as though bound by invisible ropes.

"You – wait," he panted, staring up at James with an expression of purest loathing. "You – wait…." _Well, Snape certainly got his revenge,_ Harry thought while still watching the action between his father, godfather, and Snape.

"Wait for what?" said Sirius coolly. "What're you going to do, Snivelly, wipe your nose on us?"

Snape let out a stream of mixed swearwords and hexes, but his wand being ten feet away nothing happened. Harry thought that he distinctly heard some spells that he knew from sixth year that Snape himself had created.

"Wash out your mouth," said James coldly. _"Scourgify!"_

Pink soap bubbles streamed from Snape's mouth at once; the froth was covering his lips, making him gag, choking him –

"Leave him ALONE!"

James and Sirius looked around; so did Harry, despite the fact that he knew who had spoken the words. James's free hand jumped to his hair again.

It was one of the girls from the lake edge. She had thick, dark red hair that fell to her shoulders and startlingly green almond-shaped eyes.

Harry's mother…

"All right, Evans?" said James, and the tone of his voice was suddenly pleasant, deeper, more mature. Harry smiled at the way his father's demeanor and personality had changed in an instant with Lily. It was funny, really, how James tried so hard to impress Lily Evans. _Maybe if Dad had been himself sooner and not tried to be even cooler than he was, Mum would have gone out with him sooner._

"Leave him alone," Lily repeated. She was looking at James with every sign of great dislike. "What's he done to you?"

"Well," said James, appearing to deliberate the point, "it's more the fact that he _exists,_ if you know what I mean…."

Many of the surrounding watchers laughed, Sirius and Wormtail included, but Lupin, still apparently intent on his book, didn't, and neither did Lily. From behind the tree, Harry's brows furrowed at James's answer.

"You think you're funny," she said coldly. "But you're just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter. Leave him _alone_."

"I will if you go out with me, Evans," said James quickly. "Go on… go out with me, and I'll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again."

Behind him, the Impediment Jinx was wearing off. Snape was beginning to inch toward his fallen wand, spitting out soapsuds as he crawled. Harry's eyes followed the crawling Snape, though he still listened to his parents arguing.

"I wouldn't go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant squid," said Lily. Harry's head jerked back to his parents as his mother snapped at his father. A smile spread across Harry's face at his mother's attitude toward his father. He still wondered how they ever ended up married.

"Bad luck, Prongs," said Sirius briskly, turning back to Snape. "OY!"

But too late; Snape had directed his wand straight at James; there was a flash of light and a gash appeared on the side of James's face, spattering his robes with blood. James whirled about; a second flash of light later, Snape was hanging upside down in the air, his robes falling over his head to reveal skinny, pallid legs and a pair of graying underpants. Harry smiled, despite feeling sorry for Snape at having his own spells used against him.

Many people in the small crowd watching cheered. Sirius, James, and Wormtail roared with laughter.

Lily, whose furious expression had twitched for an instant as though she was going to smile, said, "Let him down!"

"Certainly," said James and he jerked his wand upward. Snape fell into a crumpled heap on the ground. Disentangling himself from his robes, he got quickly to his feet, wand up, but Sirius said, _"Locomotor mortis!" _and Snape keeled over again at once, rigid as a board.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Lily shouted. She had her own wand out now. James and Sirius eyed it warily. Harry smiled to himself at the looks on James's and Sirius's faces as Lily threatened to curse them.

"Ah, Evans, don't make me hex you," said James earnestly.

"Take the curse off him, then!"

James sighed deeply, then turned to Snape and muttered the countercurse.

"There you go," he said, as Snape struggled to his feet again, "you're lucky Evans was here, Snivellus –"

Behind the beech tree Harry's body tensed, waiting for what he knew would be the greatest mistake of Snape's life. Harry had no desire to hear it again, but he had no choice. He could not go anywhere.

"I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!"

Lily blinked. "Fine," she said coolly. "I won't bother in future. And I'd wash your pants if I were you, _Snivellus._"

"Apologize to Evans!" James roared at Snape, his wand pointed threateningly at him.

"I don't want _you _to make him apologize," Lily shouted, rounding on James. "You're as bad as he is…."

"What?" yelped James. "I'd NEVER call you a – you-know-what!"

"Messing up your hair because you think it looks cool to look like you've just got off your broomstick, showing off with that stupid Snitch, walking down corridors and hexing anyone who annoys you just because you can – I'm surprised your broomstick can get off the ground with that fat head on it. You make me SICK." Harry secretly applauded his mother from his hiding place. His heart swelled with pride as she told off his father. _Someone should have said those words to Malfoy when we were in school._

She turned on her heel and hurried away.

"Evans!" James shouted after her, "Hey, EVANS!"

But she didn't look back.

"What is it with her?" said James, trying and failing to look as though this was a throwaway question of no real importance to him.

"Reading between the lines, I'd say she thinks you're a bit conceited, mate," said Sirius. Harry smiled at his godfather's bluntness.

"Right," said James, who looked furious now, "right –"

There was another flash of light, and Snape was once again hanging upside down in the air.

"Who wants to see me take off Snivelly's pants?"

Harry half-expected the fully grown Snape to be beside him before realizing that he wasn't in the Pensieve and that the adult Snape had died nearly two years ago. Harry looked up at another flash of light and the teenage Snape's pants were lying on the ground, ten feet away from where he sat completely red in the face. Despite the fact that he had hated Snape for so many years, knowing that Snape had died to protect him and knowing what it felt like to be humiliated in front of a group of people Harry felt angry towards his father for the torment that he was putting Snape through just because he could not get Lily Evans to go out on a date with him.

"OY! McGonagall's coming!" said Sirius, pointing at the doors leading out of the castle.

James quickly muttered the spell that would return Snape's pants to him and hurriedly sat down with Sirius and Wormtail next to Lupin in front of the beech tree. Snape gathered his things and ran into the castle as McGonagall entered the grounds.

A few hours later, when all of the students that were in the grounds retreated back into Hogwarts for dinner, Harry emerged from his hiding place behind the beech tree. He was hungry but could not go into the Great Hall, for he would be noticed and could not answer the questions as to why he looked so much like James Potter. Instead he decided to vanish his trunk (_"Evanesco!"_) and find the one person who could help him return to his own time: Albus Dumbledore.

Harry walked briskly towards the castle as darkness and a summer chill fell over the grounds. Upon entering the castle Harry steered his feet in the direction he knew was the headmaster's office; despite the difference in years, Harry was sure that it would be in the same place. Harry was not really paying attention to where he was going; he was preparing in his mind what he would say to Dumbledore when he met with him. As he turned a corner, Harry bumped into someone. Looking up to see into whom he had walked, Harry realized that it was Snape, looking completely distraught.

"Sorry," Harry said, hoping to make a quick getaway before Snape had time to register that he looked like James.

Snape stared at Harry for a moment, taking in his appearance. Snape's black eyes lingered on Harry's green ones and a look of confusion came across his face.

"You look like James Potter, but you're not him. Who are you?" Snape asked bluntly, still staring into the green eyes that were Lily's.

Harry pondered the question for a moment, not sure whether he should reveal his true identity or not. Finally, Harry responded, "Someone who knows a lot about you. For instance, I know that you hate James Potter and that you just called Lily Evans an unforgivable name. I also know that you are in love with Lily Evans and she no longer wants to be your friend, even though you have been friends since you were ten."

"How could you possibly know that?" Snape asked, suspicious.

"Let's just say that I have been inside your head and seen your thoughts a few times."

"Really?"

"Yes. And I think that you should go to Lily and apologize. But don't just apologize. Explain why you said it. It might be the only way that she will forgive you, if you make her understand why you did it. It may not make it any less hurtful to her, but it will certainly be a reason and may help her to understand what happened."

"Why should I listen to you?" said Snape, clearly distrustful of Harry.

"Do you want Lily as your friend?"

Snape opened his mouth as if he was going to respond, but instead turned on his heels and headed in the direction of the Gryffindor common room. Harry really needed to find Dumbledore and make his way back to his own time, but he had to make sure that Snape explained himself properly to Lily. Harry walked in the direction that he had walked for so many years and followed Snape to the portrait of the Fat Lady which guarded the entrance to the Gryffindor common room. Harry stopped at the end of the corridor down which he had been walking and poked his head out into the one leading to the Gryffindor common room; he could see and hear Snape and Lily perfectly.

"I'm sorry," said Snape.

"I'm not interested."

"I'm sorry!"

"Save your breath."

Lily stood with her arms folded in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady, at the entrance to Gryffindor Tower.

"I never meant to call you Mudblood, it just –"

"Slipped out?" There was no pity in Lily's voice. Harry hoped that Snape did not get too discouraged by Lily's voice to tell her what he needed to tell her. "It's too late. I've made excuses for you for years. None of my friends can understand why I even talk to you. You and your precious little Death Eater friends – you see, you don't even deny it! You don't even deny that's what you're all aiming to be! You can't wait to join You-Know-Who, can you?"

Snape opened his mouth, but closed it without speaking.

"I can't pretend anymore. You've chosen your way, I've chosen mine."

"No – listen, I didn't mean –"

"– to call me Mudblood? But you call everyone of my birth Mudblood, Severus. Why should I be any different?" Behind the wall, Harry tensed, hoping that Snape would take his advice to heart.

Snape struggled for a moment for words, and Lily turned around, ready to give the Fat Lady the password.

"Because I love you," Snape burst out. Lily froze where she stood, as Harry, glad that Lily knew that Snape loved her, turned around and began walking back towards Dumbledore's office. Behind him and down the corridor, Lily turned to face Snape.

"What?"

"I love you," Snape repeated.

Lily blinked and stared at Snape for a moment or two.

"That's why you never called me a Mudblood?"

"Yes, and why I did today. I was embarrassed that you saw me the way you did and between my hatred of Potter and my love for you, it just slipped out. I know it doesn't make it any better, but I had to let you know why I said it," Snape rambled at ten times the speed he spoke normally. "I really am sorry, Lily."

"You really mean everything that you just said to me?"

Looking Lily in the eyes for the first time since he revealed his secret, Snape said, "Yes."

"It hurt, Sev, you calling me a Mudblood. And I'm not sure I wouldn't have done the exact same thing if our roles had been reversed. It took a lot of courage for you to tell me what you just did, Sev. And that means a lot to me." Lily took a few steps forward to where Snape was standing, stock still, as if he had had a Freezing Charm put on him.

Lily stopped walking when she was inches from Snape's face. Despite his heart beating faster than a bird's wings, Snape stood his ground.

"I love you, too," Lily whispered and, before Snape could react to the words she had spoken, kissed him full on the mouth. Snape responded with such enthusiasm that he pulled Lily so close to him that he could feel her heart beating against him. Passionately, the kiss grew until Lily pulled away, gasping for breath.

Slowly Snape opened his eyes and saw Lily standing in front of him, a huge smile upon her face.

"Did that really happen? Or was I imagining it?" Snape whispered.

"It happened, Sev. I love you, I do. That's why you calling me a Mudblood hurt so much. But there is only one way that we can be together," said Lily seriously.

"Anything," said Snape.

"Don't join You-Know-Who. That is my only request. It's me or You-Know-Who. I'm sorry, but that is just how it has to be. You can't have it both ways."

"Done," said Snape, who pulled Lily into a kiss before she had time to think.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Harry neared the stone gargoyle that guarded the headmaster's quarters. He had managed to make it there without any more run-ins with students. He was especially glad that he had not encountered the school poltergeist Peeves who surely would have made a commotion. Once Harry stopped in front of the statue he realized that he did not know the password to open the door.

"I guess I'll try some passwords from my time and see what happens," Harry said to the air. "Sherbet Lemon." The statue remained resolutely stone.

"Toffee éclairs," Harry said. Still the gargoyle did not move.

"Lemon drops." Harry still stared at a statue.

"Acid pops," Harry said in a last desperate attempt to enter the headmaster's office. And to Harry's surprise, the gargoyle sprang to life revealing a long, moving staircase. Harry stepped onto the stairs and was carried slowly up to the office of Albus Dumbledore. When the staircase came to a stop in front of the doorway, Harry stepped off onto the landing and knocked on the door.

"Come in," said the familiar, though younger sounding voice from within.

Harry opened the door and walked in tentatively. He had been in Dumbledore's office many times in his own years at Hogwarts and should not have been nervous to enter, but in this place he was not known and looked too much like James Potter to want to be seen.

"James Potter?" Dumbledore asked, confused and surprised simultaneously.

"Actually, sir, my name is Harry Potter. You don't know me yet, but you will in about fifteen years. I am James's son and I came here accidentally from the future," Harry said, holding up the Time-Turner which he had found in the pocket of his jacket. He thought it better to just come out with the truth to Dumbledore; lying would not get him home quickly.

Dumbledore, whose hair was shorter and darker than it was in Harry's time, sat in his chair processing the information that Harry had just told him.

"You are from the future?"

"Yes, sir, approximately twenty-five years in the future," Harry replied.

"And that is a yearly Time-Turner?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes, sir, apparently it is," Harry said.

"And why have you come to see me, Harry?"

"Because I need to get back to my own time and I don't know how to do that. I also don't know how I ended up here at Hogwarts. I wasn't here when the Time-Turner turned," said Harry seriously.

"Well, just turn the Time-Turner, which is five years a turn, towards you. And if I had to hazard a guess I would say that that is a Time-Turner that transports the wearer and anything they are touching to the place about which they were thinking," said Dumbledore.

"What? Really?! So to get back to the right place I just have to think about it?"

"Yes, of course."

"Thanks, Professor." Harry turned and headed towards the door.

"Harry," Dumbledore said. Harry turned around to face the man he knew so well and missed terribly, despite feeling betrayed by him two years ago.

"Yes?"

"I will forget that I ever saw you until the time is right."

"Yes, sir. I think that is best," Harry said, turned and left Dumbledore's office.

Harry walked through the castle which was silent and unmoving; not even a ghost was about. Harry assumed that all the students were in their common rooms and the teachers in their offices. Harry did not know where the ghosts were, but was extremely happy to have not met Peeves or Filch on his way to the grounds. Harry found the beech tree behind which he had hidden earlier that day and behind which he magicked his trunk back into existence.

"Time to go home," Harry said. He sat on his trunk and turned the Time-Turner five times towards him while thinking about the Burrow. The grounds of Hogwarts moved rapidly out of sight and turned into the Burrow. His surroundings began to slow down as Ron's room came into view and formed around him. Harry smiled that he was back in his own time at the Burrow. He carefully took off the Time-Turner and wrapped in an old pair of socks. Just as he was putting the rolled up socks into his trunk, the door opened and Ginny walked in.

"Harry Snape? How the hell did you get in here and why are you here," Ginny demanded a look of pure hatred on her face.

"Ginny, that is not funny," Harry said. "Why would you call me Harry Snape?"

"It's your name, you asshole," said Ginny curtly.

"Huh? What are you talking about, Ginny. You know very well that my name is Harry Potter."

"Harry Potter? Please!" Ginny screeched, as Harry became increasingly more disturbed. "You get out of this house immediately, Harry Snape!"

"Ginny, what's going on?" Ron said coming into the room.

"Harry Snape? Why the hell are you in my room?" said Ron, coming to an abrupt halt next to his sister as his eyes fell on Harry. Ron grabbed his wand from the table next to his bed.

"Why do you guys keep calling me Harry Snape? It isn't funny," Harry said, really disturbed now, eyeing Ron's wand warily.

"It's your name, you bastard. Now get out of my house!"

"Alright, I'm leaving," Harry said. He waved his wand to vanish his trunk, turned on the spot, and apparated out of the Burrow.

Harry reappeared on the doorstep of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. Harry entered the house and was immediately attacked by a blonde girl.

"Harry!" the blonde girl exclaimed with her arms still entwined around Harry's neck.

When she pulled away to look at him, Harry realized who the girl was.

"Pansy Parkinson?"

"Of course, silly. We have so much to finalize for the wedding in two weeks," Pansy said, a smile on her face.

Before Harry could respond to what Pansy had said, Harry saw in the kitchen someone that made him almost faint. It was a woman with long, dark red hair and startlingly green, almond-shaped eyes.

"Mom?" whispered Harry.

"Yes. Your mom is cooking dinner. She's almost done. And your dad should be home any minute," Pansy said, taking Harry by the hand and leading him into the kitchen.

Upon entering the kitchen, Harry saw teenager about his own age sitting at the table reading _The Evening Prophet_. Glancing at the wizard a second time, Harry realized that it was a red-headed Draco Malfoy. Harry's face contorted into a look of shock and surprise, but went unnoticed.

"Hello, honey. How was work today?" Lily asked her son.

"Er. Normal," said Harry, confused. He went over to where Lily was standing and gave her a huge hug. When Harry would not let go of his mother she asked,

"Is everything okay, Harry dear?"

"Everything is fine," Harry said.

"Hello," called a voice from the entrance of the house.

"In the kitchen, dear," Lily called back.

"Dinner smells great, Lily dear," said a man with black hair that parted in curtains around a pallid face.

Harry stared, appalled, at the man who had just entered the kitchen.

"Hello, Father," Draco said as Snape walked into the kitchen.

"Harry, say hello to your father," Lily said sternly when Harry continued to stare, open-mouthed.

As he turned his head towards the mirror on the wall and saw a reflection that was not his – longer black hair, a thinner, more pallid face, no glasses, and, most of all, no scar – Harry ran out of the kitchen past the people that were not part of his life and up the stairs. He ran into the room he had once shared with Ron and slammed the door shut.

"Please let this be a dream. Please let this be a dream. Please let this be a dream," Harry repeated, pacing. "I am going to count to five and when I open my eyes I am going to be in the Burrow in Ron's room." Harry closed his eyes. "One, two, three, four, five." Harry opened his eyes. He was still in Grimmauld Place.

Harry sat down on the bed, completely distressed. He picked up the newspaper that was lying next to him on the bed and looked at the front page. Harry's heart stopped as he saw the headline and the picture below it:

**The Boy-Who-Lived to Marry Ginny Weasley**

"Neville is the Boy-Who-Lived?" said Harry to himself, aghast. "And he's marrying Ginny?"

And realization dawned on him. He had told Snape to tell Lily that he loved her. That was never supposed to have happened. Lily never married James. Lily and James didn't die to save Harry. Voldemort chose instead Neville as the boy who would be a threat to him.

"I've completely messed up my timeline," Harry said in a quiet horror. "Snape is my father. Pansy is my fiancée. Malfoy is my brother. My mom is alive. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny hate me. And probably Luna and Neville too. What have I done?" And Harry cried himself to sleep with silent tears.

Harry woke up early next morning just as the sun was rising. He hoped as he opened his eyes that the previous day had all been a bad dream. But when his eyes completely focused on the room around him, Harry realized that he was not in the Burrow but Grimmauld Place. He also noticed that he had subconsciously entered Sirius's room. The thought of Sirius and not being his godson in this world pained him.

"Dammit. I really messed up things for myself. I have to get out of here and talk to Ron, Hermione, and Ginny."

Harry got out of bed. He noticed that it was very early in the morning and decided that he would leave immediately. He knew that the others would be asleep and was thankful that Pansy had chosen to either go home or sleep in a different room. Harry did not want to see or come in contact with those who were apparently his friends now, though with his mother he would have loved to have spent some quality time. Quietly, Harry opened the door of Sirius's room in which he had slept and climbed down the stairs gingerly. He was careful to not make a sound at the risk of waking Mrs. Black's portrait which would wake the others that were in the house. Harry approached the door to the outside and opened it slowly.

Once outside on the steps of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place and free of the people he did not want to see, Harry understood that he needed to figure out a way to get Ron, Hermione, and Ginny to meet with him and talk with him rationally. When that happened he would have to find a way to convince them that he was their friend. And suddenly he remembered something that he had found when he was cleaning out his trunk. Harry opened his jacket and placed a hand in the inside pockets. He found his wand in one pocket and what he was looking for in the other: an old photograph of him, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Luna, and Ginny standing, arm-in-arm, in front of the Hogwarts Express and smiling. A sad smile crossed his face as he remembered having the picture taken: it was the last day of Hogwarts for the six of them even though Ginny and Luna were a year behind. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville had gone back to school after defeating Voldemort and were able to graduate alongside Luna and Ginny with whom Harry had gotten back together after the Battle of Hogwarts. Even though it was a sad day because they would be leaving Hogwarts forever, they were all happy to be able to move on with their lives in a Voldemort-free world. This was perfect. It was the proof that he needed that he was their friend. Now he needed to get at least Ron, Hermione, and Ginny to meet with him. But how?

Harry walked down the steps of Grimmauld Place towards the street. He walked down the sidewalk, not really going anywhere, but not wanting to stand still. Walking around would allow him to think better how to convince his friends – or ex-friends – to meet with him.

"I need to send them an owl," Harry said to himself. "I don't have Hedwig anymore." A sadness crossed Harry's face as he thought of his late owl.

"I definitely can't go back to the Burrow. I wonder if Ron and Hermione work at the Ministry in this world," Harry said, still talking to himself.

Making the decision that he would go to the Ministry of Magic and see if Ron and Hermione worked there, Harry looked around, saw no one around, and turned into the emptiness that was apparition. A few seconds later Harry re-appeared in the crowded Atrium of the Ministry of Magic. The golden fountain with the wizard, house-elf, and centaur was standing like a regal sentry in the middle of the floor. Though he passed by it every day in his own world, his real world, Harry stopped to look at the statue. It had been destroyed at the end of his fifth year during Dumbledore's battle with Voldemort; it had then been replaced by a giant, black stone statue of a witch and wizard sitting on mounds of carved humans. When Voldemort was vanquished less than a year later the original statue had been reinstalled. As he stood staring at the statue in the middle of the Atrium, witches and wizards were apparating around Harry and entering the Ministry through the fireplaces.

Harry walked through the crowd of Ministry wizards towards the front desk. Suddenly from behind him, a voice called out to him.

"Harry!" Harry turned around, startled that someone in the Ministry was calling to him. He saw a man with slicked back red hair walking towards him. Harry groaned. He did not want to talk to Draco Malfoy – or Draco Snape, as he was in this world. Nevertheless, Harry waved to Draco and waited from him to approach.

"Are you ready to go down to the office? We have the idiotic meeting with the Mudblood Granger," Draco said.

Harry, remembering that Draco was now his brother and suppressing the urge to curse him for insulting Hermione, realized that he had no choice but to go to his office with Draco. Hermione was working at the Ministry even in this new world. It was his only chance to talk to Hermione and try and convince her to agree to meet with him and bring along Ron and Ginny.

"Yeah, I am," responded Harry. And he followed Malfoy into the lift and down to the floor for the lawyers.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Harry and Malfoy left the lift on the bottommost floor where the Ministry of Magic Law Offices were situated. Malfoy led Harry to a chamber at the end of a hallway. Harry knew this hallway; he had dreamt about it years ago in his normal life and had been tried for using magic in the presence of Muggles in the courtroom two doors down from the room he was entering.

When he walked through the door that Malfoy was holding open for him, Harry saw a sight that most pleased him and made him smile. Hermione Granger was standing with her hands on the table and her head bent down; she was looking at a book.

_Well, at least she is the same Hermione_, Harry thought to himself.

"What are you smiling at?" Malfoy said, seeing Harry's face.

"Er – just thinking about Pansy," Harry said, however painful it was for him to even mention her name. It was crucial that he play the part of the Slytherin in front of Malfoy; when he got Hermione alone he would be the Harry he was used to being.

"You're late," Hermione said, not lifting her head from the book.

"Whatever, Granger. Let's get this done with, shall we?" Malfoy said, walking over to the table on which a bunch of papers lay.

"Do not use that tone of voice with me, Malfoy. I don't want to be on this case with you two anymore than you want to be on it with me." Hermione raised her head and put her hands on her hips.

"So what's the case?" Harry asked.

"House-elf rights," Draco said bitterly. "I told you that."

"House-elf rights?" Harry asked, smiling that Hermione was doing what she said she would and smiling because Harry Snape was thoroughly offended that he would be on such a case. "I must have forgotten in all the preparations for the wedding."

"Forget it, Harry. Completely understandable. I would put everything aside if I had a beautiful lady like you do. I'm sure there are many ways she makes you forget things," Draco said, with the widest, most sincere smile that Harry had ever seen him wear.

"Pig," Hermione said. Harry had to force himself not to smile.

"Look you two, I am very serious about this and if you are going to impede my chances in any way of getting house-elves better rights then I will do it myself and you are excused from the case," Hermione reprimanded.

"No. We want in on the case," Harry said, eager to be dealing with the bossy Hermione that he knew so well.

"Fine. But one move that slows me down and you're out."

"Deal with it, Granger," Malfoy said.

"Oh. And you will speak nicely to me when you are in my office. You are not to insult me. One insult or nasty word from either of you and you will both find yourselves in the same state that you found yourselves when you said Neville would not last more than five minutes in the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Got it?" Hermione's eyes pierced through Harry and Malfoy like ice.

"Yeah. We understand," Harry said.

"Shall we get on with it then?" Malfoy said in the nicest voice that he could conjure.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"My god, what a complete waste of time," Malfoy said as he and Harry walked out of the Department of Mysteries an hour later. "House-elves are supposed to be enslaved. They always have been and they always will be. No one in their right mind would actually side with Granger about giving them vacation and pay. And no respectable wizard is going to pay to have a house-elf."

"I don't know, Ma – Draco, if wizards treat house-elves more civilly they might not get crossed and double-crossed," Harry said, his mind in his real world and on Kreacher and Sirius.

"What the bloody hell are you talking about, Harry?" Draco asked.

"Er – I once heard of a house-elf betraying its proper master because he wasn't treated properly and didn't like the master. He liked the master's family members much better. The elf couldn't directly betray his master, obviously, but he didn't help him either," Harry said, disconcerted at telling Malfoy the story of how and why Kreacher betrayed Sirius to Malfoy's mother and father.

"Where the hell did you hear that?"

"I overheard Ne – Longbottom telling his Gryffindor friends about it a few years ago. He was practically screaming it. I don't know how you didn't hear it. Er – listen, Draco, I think I left my wand in Her – Granger's office. You go on up. I'll meet up there in a few," Harry said, turning back to the office out which they had just walked.

Harry watched Malfoy walk to the lifts and make his way up to the atrium. When he was alone in the corridor, Harry walked to the door of Hermione's office and knocked.

"Come in," came the voice from the other of the door.

Harry opened the door tentatively.

When he shut the door behind him Hermione looked up. Seeing who it was, she frowned.

"Come to insult me without the influence of your brother?" Hermione said without pretense.

Though hurt inside by the tone of voice that Hermione was using with him, Harry hid his feelings and simply said,

"No. Actually I came to ask you something, Hermione."

Hermione narrowed her eyes in suspicion when Harry used her name.

"Since when have you called me 'Hermione'? What are you playing at?"

"Nothing. I wanted to ask you if you, Ron, and Ginny would meet me in Hogsmeade this afternoon." Harry knew that he was pushing his luck; Hermione did not look happy but he thought it best to come right out and say what it was he wanted to say despite knowing exactly what Hermione could do when she was angry.

"Why?" Hermione asked, her eyes narrowing even further until they were slits.

"I need to talk to you. I swear, all I want to do is talk. I really need to tell you all something." Harry felt he was getting nowhere. Hermione still looked suspicious.

"If this is about the case we can talk now and Ron and Ginny don't need to be a part of the conversation."

"This isn't about the case. It's personal. Please, Hermione, I really need to talk to the three of you. And Neville and Luna can come too."

"You really just want to talk? With Gryffindors like us?"

"Yes."

"Fine. Two o' clock in the Three Broomsticks. Don't be late," Hermione said, walking to the door and holding it open for Harry.

"Thanks."

Harry was barely out the door when it slammed behind him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

"I don't understand why you said we would meet him," Ginny said. She was sitting at a table in the Three Broomsticks with her brother Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Luna.

"Yeah. He probably wants us all together so he can insult us in a group. Kill five owls with one spell," Ron said.

"I don't know, Ron, he seemed different. Kinder. More human," Hermione said.

"If you say so."

"Guys," Neville said, nodding his head towards the door that had just opened. Harry walked inside looking around. Spotting the five people he was most happy to see, Harry quickly made his way to the table.

"Hi," Harry said cheerfully when he approached the table.

"Let's get this over with, Snape," Ginny said.

His heart breaking at hearing Ginny speak to him with such contempt in her voice, Harry pulled up a chair and sat down in between Ginny and Hermione.

"Why did you want to see us?" Ron asked bluntly and with a sneer that Harry only saw him have when talking to Malfoy.

_I guess that I'm Malfoy to them in this world. He is my brother in this world,_ Harry thought to himself.

"Okay. I am not going to beat around the bush. I'm just going to come right out and say this. I know who you think I am. But I am not who you think I am. I am from a world where we are all friends, where I am The-Boy-Who-Lived, where I have the scar, where my parents died to keep me alive, where Ginny and I are engaged." The five other people at the table just stared at Harry with frowns and scowls.

"You expect us to believe you?" Ginny asked, skepticism and hatred in her voice. "You hate us. You spent your whole life making ours miserable. Your day at school wasn't ever complete unless you and your brother had tormented us in front of the school. Let's go, guys. I knew we shouldn't have come," Ginny said, pushing out her chair and standing up. Neville and Ron followed, but Luna, who did not seem to know what was going on as usual, and Hermione remained seated.

"Wait!" Harry said, standing up, desperate not to let this chance escape him. "I have proof."

Ginny, Neville, and Ron turned simultaneously to face Harry.

"Okay. Prove it," Ginny said, crossing her arms across her chest.

Harry pulled out of his jacket pocket the picture of the six of them in front of the Hogwarts Express and the Time-Turner that he and Ginny had found in their real world.

"Here. Look. This was taken at the end of our last year. Hermione, Ron, Neville, and I had gone back to school and finished our last year and graduated with you and Luna."

Ginny took the photo from Harry, her eyebrows furrowed.

"It looks real," Ron said, peering at the picture from over Ginny's shoulder.

"It could be a trick. He somehow magicked himself into the photo that the five of us took," Ginny said, still suspicious.

"Ginny, please sit down and let him try to explain," Hermione said. "I think he might be telling the truth."

"You do?" Harry asked, thankful that at least one of his friends believed his story.

"Yes, I do. But you have to explain further."

"I can do that."

"Ron, please," Hermione said, looking at her boyfriend.

"Alright," Ron sighed and sat back down at the table.

Neville followed suit and Ginny reluctantly did the same.

"Okay. If you really are our friend, then why do we hate you?" Ginny asked.

"Because I messed up my timeline. In my real world I was cleaning out my Hogwarts trunk and I found this Time-Turner," Harry said, holding up the necklace, "and Hermione told me to put it away but I put it around my neck and it turned accidentally and I ended up in 1975. I watched my dad – James Potter – torment Snape and watched Snape call my mom – Lily Evans – a 'Mudblood' and I knew that he called her that out of embarrassment and I told him to tell her that he loved her. But that was never supposed to have happened and so Lily never married James and I ended up Snape's son instead of James Potter's and Neville became The-Boy-Who-Lived and all of you guys hate me," Harry concluded, breathing heavily.

"You accidentally turned back time," Ginny said skeptically, raising her eyebrows.

"It's possible, Gin," Hermione said. "Especially with the Time-Turners that turn back years. They are very sensitive. The slightest movement could turn back a year."

"Okay. So why did you want to see us?" Ron asked.

"Because this isn't my life. I want to be with you guys. You are my friends. The ones I love." Harry turned his head to Ginny as he stated the last part.

"But it is your life. It's the one we've always known it to be," Neville said.

"So you're saying that you won't help me fix this? Get the real world back. My world. Neville, wouldn't you like to have the pressure of being the hero lifted off your shoulders? Wouldn't you like someone else to be stared at all the time? Someone else's life to be constantly reported about in the papers? Hermione, are you telling me that you have no idea how to fix this?" Harry said, looking Hermione in the eyes with desperation.

"Harry, I don't know what you can do to fix what you already did but to go back in time again and change whatever you did that changed your timeline," Hermione said, sadness clear in her eyes and voice. "And that could be very dangerous. You could mess up so much more than you already have."

"So I have to live with what I've done? I can't. I won't marry Pansy Parkinson. I won't have Malfoy as my brother. And as nice as it is to have my mom alive, I will not have Snape as my father!" Harry said loudly and hysterically.

"Alright," Hermione said. "We'll help you."

"We will?" Ron asked, staring at Hermione.

"Yes," Hermione said pleadingly. She stared around the table at her friends. Harry held his breath hoping that Hermione had enough influence over Ron, Ginny, Luna, and Neville.

Neville spoke first.

"I think we should help."

Ginny's eyes widened at her fiancée.

"You do?"

"Yes I do, Ginny. And not just because it would be nice to be a nobody instead of the famous Neville Longbottom but because I know what it's like to speak the truth and to have no one believe me. I know what it's like to be so desperate to be believed that you would do anything in your power to show the world the truth. I'll help you, Harry."

"Thank you."

"So how do we do this without screwing up more than what has already been screwed up?" Ginny asked.

Harry's heart filled with happiness at hearing that the five people he loved most in the world were going to help him get his life back.

"We ask Dumbledore, of course," Luna said in her usual dreamy tone that suggested this was the most obvious thing in the world.

"That would be a great idea, Luna," Ron said, "except that he's dead."

"I know that, Ronald. But he is the only one that might be able to help us. So, we should ask Dumbledore," Luna stated.

"But if he's dead, how do we talk to him?" Neville asked.

"The portrait," Harry said.

"Of course!" Hermione exclaimed.

"But how do we get into Hogwarts? It's the middle of July," Ron asked.

"Who's the headmaster here? In your world?" Harry asked.

"Your dad. I mean, Snape," Hermione answered.

"Well then, I'll just ask him to let me in," Harry said.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Harry walked into the hallway of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. It felt odd that this was home considering that Sirius Black was not his godfather and he was in no way related to the Blacks in this new, twisted reality. As he walked toward the kitchen Harry looked around. He noticed there were house-elf heads propped on the walls and Mrs. Black's portrait shut behind the curtain so she didn't make noise. The umbrella stand that Nymphadora Tonks–Lupin always used to trip over and knock down was also in the hallway in front of the kitchen.

_It all looks the same. I wonder why my family is living here. Sirius is dead and this house should have been willed to Neville. And it's not even like Malfoy is the son of Narcissa Black,_ Harry thought to himself.

"Mom, are you here?" Harry called as he walked into the kitchen.

"I'm in here, dear," Lily called from the parlor.

Harry walked into the room where he once spent hours cleaning out old Black family heirlooms with the Weasleys and where he had a Horcrux in his hands and threw it out.

"Hello, Harry dear," Lily said. She was reading the _Daily Prophet_ in an armchair by a fireplace Harry did not know existed.

"Hi, Mom." Harry walked over to the chair and hugged his mother. He clung onto her for a few seconds before she put down the paper and patted him on his head.

"Are you alright, honey?" Lily asked.

"Yeah. I'm just glad to see you. Er – have you seen Sn – Dad?" Harry asked.

"He's at the Ministry at the moment but he should be home soon. Why?"

"I just wanted to ask him something," Harry said sitting down on the couch across from his mother.

"Is it anything I can help you with?" Lily asked picking up the newspaper again and flipping open to the article she had been reading.

"I don't think so, Mom. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. There are some things a boy needs his father for and his mother can't help him with," Lily said.

"Huh?"

"I'm just saying that I'm not insulted. Some things boys just feel uncomfortable talking to their mothers about. And girls feel uncomfortable talking to their dads about things. When you have children you'll figure that out."

"If I ever get the chance," Harry mumbled to himself.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing."

"Harry, sweetie," a perky female voice called from the entryway.

Harry groaned but Pansy Parkinson came bounding into the room before he could disapparate to another part of the house. She pounced on Harry's lap and shoved her lips against his.

"Guess who I found at the Ministry looking for you," Snape said, walking into the room and before gently kissing Lily on the lips.

Harry struggled fruitlessly against Pansy for a few minutes before he could break free from her grasp.

"Dad, can I talk to you?" Harry asked, glad for the excuse to escape from Pansy.

"Sure."

Harry led Snape out of the living room and into the kitchen.

"What's wrong, son?" Snape asked when Harry closed the door behind him.

"I need to get into your office at Hogwarts," Harry said bluntly and without pretense.

"You what?"

"I need to get into your office at Hogwarts," Harry repeated.

"Why?"

"I need to ask Dumbledore something."

"What do you need to ask him?" Snape asked suspiciously.

Harry savored the unfriendly tone with which Snape spoke the last sentence and embraced the sneer that appeared on his face; it was something familiar in an unfamiliar life.

With many years experience of thinking fast to lie to Snape, Harry found that an answer came swiftly and easily to his lips.

"I need to ask him if I can teach a course at the school."

"Why not ask me? I am the headmaster." Snape asked, more suspicious still.

"Because you're my father and people will say that I got the job because I am related to you," Harry responded quickly, his years of lying to Snape on the spot coming back to him more quickly and in full force.

"Okay. I will let you into my office tomorrow at ten in the morning," Snape said.

"You will?" Harry asked, surprised that he had convinced Snape so thoroughly in a way that he never would have been able to in his own world.

"Yes. I will." Snape smiled, patted Harry on the back, and walked back into the living room to find Lily.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Ron? Ginny? Are you here?" Harry asked seconds after apparating directly into Ron's attic bedroom in which he had spent so many hours in his real world.

"Harry," Hermione said, walking into the room at the sound of his voice.

"Snape said he would let me into his office tomorrow morning."

"He did?" Hermione asked, both happy and surprised.

"Yes. But I don't think that he will let anyone but me in," Harry said, sitting down on the bed that he usually occupied in his real world.

"He won't have to," Ginny said walking into the room. She held up a silvery cloak that Harry knew all to well.

Harry smiled.

"That won't fit all of you. We barely fit three under it when we were eleven. How is it going to hold five twenty-year olds?" Harry asked.

"Not all of us are going," Ginny said sitting down on Ron's bed. "Only me, Hermione, and Neville."

"What about Ron and Luna?"

"They're going to go to the library and see if they can figure anything out," Ginny said.

"Ron is going to the library and Hermione isn't?" Harry asked, confused at why the world was temporarily out of control.

"Yes. Always," Ginny said.

Harry burst into laughter. Hermione and Ginny stared at each other.

"Why are you laughing?" Hermione asked.

When he finally managed to control his laughter, Harry said,

"Ron hates the library. Hermione is the one that always has her nose in a book."

"Oh, so it's the same in your world?" Hermione asked, relief in her voice.

"Yes. Did you really think that I would believe that Ron would spend any more time reading a book that he has to?"

"No. We were just making sure that it was the same in your world," Ginny said.

"So, is Ron coming with us and Hermione going to the library?" Harry asked, confused.

"Yes."

"Can I stay here?" Harry asked, glad that the plans for the next day were set.

"Why?" Ginny asked.

Harry's true answer was 'So I can be near you' but felt that saying that would not go over well. Instead, he said,

"I don't feel comfortable going to Grimmauld Place. Granted I spent many weeks and months living there in my own world and it would be great to see my mum, but I really don't want to go where Pansy Parkinson is. And, even though Snape kept me alive for seventeen years, I really don't want to see him either."

"Alright. I guess you could stay here. Mum won't mind if we explain what happened. I can stay in with Hermione in the guest room and you can stay in my room," Ginny said.

Harry's heart dropped like a stone at this offer.

"Are you sure, Ginny?' asked Harry.

Ginny stared Harry in the eyes. He knew she saw into his heart and soul the way she could in his real world and that she saw his heart breaking because he was not with her and feared he would not get back to the world in which she loved him. It was a few minutes before Ginny said,

"Yes. I'm sure."

"Well then," Hermione said, trying to lighten up the tension in the room, "let's go eat."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Three hours later Harry stood on the landing outside Ginny's bedroom. Ginny had gone into Hermione's room a half-hour earlier and Harry had avoided seeing her in her pajamas. Harry had been standing staring at the door to Ginny's room since she had entered Hermione's and was spending all his energy on building up the courage to enter the room.

The last time he had been in her bedroom had been on his seventeenth birthday before he, Ron, and Hermione had gone Horcrux hunting. She had kissed as she had never kissed him before or since and all the reasons for which he had broken up with her had seemed to disappear.

Now he stood outside her door three years later and could not bring himself to walk inside. Everything that he had been feeling the last few days – especially not being with Ginny – he knew would come crashing over him once he entered the room.

After another ten minutes Harry finally mustered up enough Gryffindor courage to open the door to Ginny's bedroom. When he stepped inside he saw that the room was exactly as it had been the last time he had been in it in his real world: covered in posters of the all-female Quidditch team, the Holyhead Harpies.

Harry stood in the doorway for a few minutes and then walked over to the window. It had a view of the backyard in which he, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione had played two-a-side Quidditch many years ago and in which Bill and Fleur had gotten married. He stared at the garden thinking of all the things he had experienced there and all the things he never would if he didn't find a way to get back to his world.

Slowly, Harry turned away from the window and walked towards Ginny's bed. He sat down on the edge of the neatly made covers that showed the face of the coach of the Holyhead Harpies, Gwenog Jones. He closed his eyes and saw in his mind the night he and Ginny first spent the night together. As he remember the most wonderful night in his life, Harry crawled under the covers and fell asleep thinking of Ginny and the idea that he would be with her soon.


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER SIX**

When he awoke the next morning, Harry did not know where he was or if the dreams he had had that night were dreams or reality. He felt around on the nightstand for his glasses; when he found them and put them on, Ginny's room came into view and all that had transpired the day before came flooding back into his mind.

Before Harry even attempted to get out of bed there was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Harry asked, getting out of bed.

"Ginny," was the response from the other side of the door.

Harry quickly walked over to the door and opened it.

"Hi," Ginny said.

"Hi," Harry said breathlessly. Ginny looked beautiful in the mornings just after she had woken up and before she had brushed her hair and put on day clothes and makeup.

"Can I come in?"

"Yeah, of course. It's your room," Harry said, moving aside to grant Ginny entrance to the bedroom.

Ginny entered.

"Did you sleep well?" Harry asked.

"Yes. You?"

"Not really. Too many dreams."

"I'm sorry," Ginny said, walking to stare out the window.

"Don't be sorry. It's not your fault." Harry took notice of the awkwardness that was in the air. He remembered the tension that had surrounded his last visit to Ginny's room; it felt, now, the way it had then.

"Did you want something?" Harry asked, walking over to where Ginny stood at the window. As he stood looking at Ginny, her hair reflected beautifully in the early morning sunlight, it took all of Harry's willpower to not kiss her.

Ginny looked at Harry. He could see that she was not taken aback or offended by his question. He saw in her eyes that she was contemplating whether she should ask him the one question she so wanted to ask him.

After a minute of silence Ginny said,

"Were we happy?"

It was not the question that Harry had been expecting and he could tell from Ginny's expression that surprise had shown on his face.

"Yes," Harry responded.

Ginny turned her face away from Harry's at his response and Harry noticed a frown cross her beautiful face.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked. "Were you expecting me to say that we weren't?"

"Define happy for me. Tell me what it was like. Start from the beginning. From when we first met until you messed up your timeline. Please," Ginny said, still looking out into the backyard of the Burrow.

Though confused by Ginny's odd request, Harry sat down on the bed and told Ginny about their life together.

"We met at King's Cross Station on September 1st of mine and Ron's first year of Hogwarts. I didn't know where Platform 9 ¾ was so I asked your mom. You got all excited when the twins told you who I was but you weren't allowed to talk to me. The summer before your first year of school I came to stay here and you couldn't be in the same room as me without getting flustered and certainly wouldn't talk in front of me. You got taken in by Tom Riddle's Horcrux diary and taken into the Chamber of Secrets. Ron and I rescued you and I destroyed the Horcrux in the process. After that you seemed a little better around me but we didn't interact much except when I stayed here. In my fifth year, when Dolores Umbridge was Defense teacher, you joined Dumbledore's Army with me, Ron, and Hermione. In my sixth year, when I was over my stupid crush on Cho Chang, I fell in love with you. I kissed you after Gryffindor won the Quidditch Cup in my absence and we dated until I broke it off at Dumbledore's funeral. When I visited that summer you kissed me right here in this room on my seventeenth birthday as you never had before. I was dying inside on my search for the Horcruxes because I had no idea if you were alive or if I would ever see you again. After defeating Voldemort we got back together and we got engaged a year ago. Our wedding was supposed to be in two weeks," Harry finished. Ginny had walked over to her desk while he was talking and he looked her in the eyes for the first time since he had begun his story. He was surprised to see tears in her eyes; Ginny hardly ever cried.

"Why are you crying?" Harry asked, concerned that something was truly wrong.

"You have a wonderful story," Ginny answered, her voice trembling.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, now panicking at how emotional Ginny was.

"It sounds like a fairytale. The girl idolizes the hero, he saves her, and they end up living happily ever after."

"I'm not sure there will be a happily ever after, but happiness, yes. Why are you so surprised at the story? Didn't you live it?" Harry was confused.

"No."

Harry gave Ginny a very confused look.

"It sounds like your story involves love."

"It does. You are the love of my life," Harry said. "What do you mean by _my_ story?"

"Your story. Your life. It has love in it," Ginny said, tears running down her cheeks now.

"Are – Aren't you in love with Neville?" Harry asked.

Ginny remained quiet for a few minutes before looking Harry straight in the eyes and saying,

"No. I don't love Neville. And he doesn't love me. He is in love with Luna."

"Then why are you marrying him," Harry asked becoming more confused by the second.

"I have to," Ginny responded sadly.

"What do you mean? Why are you marrying someone you don't love? Why is he marrying you if he loves Luna?" Harry was really confused now.

"Because our parents arranged it," Ginny said simply.

"Your parents arranged it? But you weren't born when Neville was born."

"But when I was born our parents agreed that we would marry each other when we turned twenty. Dumbledore said it was a good idea."

"Why? Why arrange the marriage? And why would Dumbledore condone it?"

"I don't know. But the point is that I don't know what it is to love the person I am marrying. To truly love the way you say you do in your story. I love Neville like a brother but I don't love him the way a wife should love her husband," Ginny said, avoiding Harry's eyes.

"Are you in love with someone else?" Harry asked, not sure whether or not he wanted to hear the answer.

"Yes," Ginny said, turning her head back to Harry.

Harry's heart sank.

"Who?"

"I need you to promise that you will take the name to your grave," Ginny said looking Harry in the eyes.

Harry looked straight back at Ginny and saw in her eyes that she was taking a huge risk in telling a person she had mistrusted for years her deepest, darkest secret he was sure she had not even told Hermione.

"I swear I won't tell a soul. I will take it to the grave."

"Draco Snape."

Ginny looked at Harry for a reaction and he knew that she had seen in his eyes the surprise he had felt when she said Draco's name.

"Malfoy?"

"Who?" Ginny asked.

"His name is Draco Malfoy in my world. Does Neville know? Does Draco know?"

"No. No one knows. Harry you promised you wouldn't tell anyone. Tell me you won't tell anyone!" Ginny said, her voice cracking with emotion as she jumped up from the chair in which she had been sitting.

Ginny began to panic in a way Harry had never seen her panic before; she was usually so calm and collected. Harry began to see and understand that Ginny was not as secure with herself in this world and certainly not as strong-willed as the Ginny to which he was accustomed.

"I promise, Ginny! I wouldn't do that to you. I was just curious if anyone else knew how you felt."

"Oh," Ginny said, sitting down again.

"How long have you been in love with Mal – Draco?"

"Since I first saw him. And it's been killing me inside to be in love with him and to not be able to be with him," Ginny said, tears streaming down her face again.

"I know what you mean," Harry said quietly.

"Why haven't you told anyone? I mean you know that Neville loves Luna? Why doesn't he know that you love Draco?" Harry asked.

"No one else can ever know what my heart feels. I would be disowned and ostracized by my family and friends if they knew that I loved a mortal enemy."

"Then they wouldn't be very good friends and a very nice family. If someone is truly your friend and they truly love you it shouldn't matter who you are in love with," Harry said, amazed at himself for sounding like Hermione.

"That may be true in your perfect little world, Harry, but not here," Ginny said, a slight bitterness in her voice.

"My world isn't perfect, Ginny. It should just be common sense that true friends and family should accept you for who you are – even if you love your worst enemy. If you had loved Malfoy in my world your family would have been surprised and disappointed, maybe, but they certainly would have still loved you and accepted that you were in love with him because he made you happy."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. And why should the change in my timeline have affected your family other than me not being a part of it?" Harry asked, not sure that Ginny would know the answer.

"I don't know," Ginny said.

"Well then, let's get ready and find out," Harry said, standing up and motioning towards the door.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Harry, Ron, and Ginny apparated onto the step of Grimmauld Place. Harry had not been sure if Ginny and Ron would know where the building was but was told that it had been used as Order of the Phoenix headquarters in their world also. Once on the stairs Harry handed Ron and Ginny his invisibility cloak. They were not to be seen in the house – they were sure Snape would not take Harry to see Dumbledore's portrait if he knew there were others besides Harry.

When he was satisfied that both Ginny and Ron were completely invisible, Harry opened the door to the house in which Sirius had been held captive for so many years and in which he, Ron, and Hermione had taken refuge from the Death Eaters. Harry moved into the entrance hall to allow entrance to the two girls under the cloak.

It seemed to Harry that the house was empty, but it was seven-thirty in the morning; perhaps most of the household were sleeping. Harry did not want to call out for Snape, afraid he might wake those that were still in bed. Instead, Harry walked as quietly as possible towards the kitchen, avoiding the umbrella stand that Tonks had so often knocked over. He felt Ron and Ginny walking behind him as loudly as they dared; it was obvious that they knew about Mrs. Black's portrait and did not want to awaken it.

When Harry entered the kitchen he found both Snape and Malfoy – his father and brother – sitting at the table eating pancakes and each reading a copy of _The Daily Prophet_. Behind him he felt the two under the invisibility cloak stop abruptly; Harry highly suspected the Ginny had stopped in her tracks when she had seen Draco.

At the sound of footsteps, Draco looked up from his paper. When he saw Harry he smiled.

"Harry! Were you already at work? Or have you been walking around the neighborhood?"

Harry was taken aback at the light-heartedness in Draco's voice; he did not know that Draco could speak so kindly to anyone. This new world kept throwing surprises at him.

"Er – I've been walking around the neighborhood. Dad, are you ready to go?" Harry said, anxious to get into Hogwarts and talk to Dumbledore's portrait.

After his conversation with Ginny earlier that morning, Harry now saw that it was imperative that he fix the world he had destroyed so thoroughly – not for his sake, but Ginny's. Whether or not he changed the world back to be with her, he was resolved that whatever he did he would create a world in which she would be allowed to marry the man that she loved.

"Yes. I'm done. Draco, tell your mother that Harry and I are going to Hogwarts and that I will be home for lunch," Snape said, putting down the paper and standing up.

Snape walked past Harry, barely missing the two Weasleys who stood hidden under the invisibility cloak. Harry waved goodbye to Draco and walked out of the kitchen, deliberately bumping into Ginny to get across the point that she could not stay staring at Draco. As he entered the hallway Harry felt the cloak billowing behind him – Ginny had gotten the message and had motioned to Ron to follow Harry. When he stopped in the entrance hall in which a dummy of Dumbledore had once appeared to frighten away Severus Snape, Harry found this world's Snape standing with his black traveling cloak looking, still, like a bat ready to take flight.

"I will let you into my office and then I have to go to the Ministry," Snape said in his usual drawl.

"That's fine. Thanks for letting me into your office, Dad," Harry said in a tone of voice he had no idea he could use in the presence of Snape.

"It's no problem. I can certainly allow my favorite son into my office," Snape said and turned into the darkness that was apparition.

Harry turned around to where he knew Ginny and Ron were standing cloaked and asked,

"Will you be able to apparate under the cloak?" Harry knew that in his world Ron would be able to do it; he was well-practiced at the task from their Horcrux journey.

"Yes," Ron whispered back. "Neville, Hermione, and I did it many times on our Horcrux search."

"Okay, then," Harry said, turned on the spot, and entered the crushing feeling that was associated with apparition.

When he was able to breathe again, Harry saw that he was outside the gates of Hogwarts. Harry stood where he had appeared and just stared at the castle. It had been a long time since he had last seen the school and he had not realized just how much he missed it until now. Harry was awakened from his reverie when he felt a bump on his arm: Ginny and Ron had walked into him to tell him to get moving; Snape was holding open the gates for him.

When he felt the two hidden Weasleys walk by him, Harry began to walk towards the open gates. As he passed through the wrought-iron gates of Hogwarts, Harry remembered the last time he had walked up to the castle side-by-side with Snape: he had been rescued from the Hogwarts Express by Tonks after having been paralyzed and having his nose broken by Draco Malfoy. The tension then could have been cut with a knife and there had been pure hatred radiating from Harry. The walk then had seemed to take an eternity; therefore, Harry was surprised to find himself in front of the giant wooden doors that led into the castle in less than ten minutes.

Snape pulled his wand out of his cloak and tapped the door once with it. The doors immediately swung open revealing the entrance hall. Snape walked inside and Harry let Ron and Ginny pass him before entering himself. Harry did not need to follow Snape's tracks to find the headmaster's office; having traveled the path so often in his days at school and having so recently visited it in his parents' time, his feet automatically carried him there. When he arrived in front of the stone gargoyle that guarded the office, Harry found Snape standing waiting for him; Harry had taken his time, looking around the castle to see if all was the same in this new, twisted world of his.

As soon as Harry appeared at the end of the corridor that led to the office Snape turned and said "Lily" to the statue. At the sound of the password the gargoyle came to life and jumped aside, allowing entrance to the staircase that led up to the headmaster's quarters. Snape stood aside to allow Harry access to the staircase. Harry stopped in front of the escalator-like stairs to give Ron and Ginny the chance to step onto the moving stairs.

"I must go to the Ministry, but I will see you later. When you're done, just make sure that the gargoyle reassumes its position," Snape said.

"Okay," Harry said as Snape turned around and walked down the corridor, his black cloak billowing behind him.

Harry stepped onto the staircase and was carried up to the landing where Ginny and Ron stood visibly waiting for him.

Ginny pointed at the portrait that hung directly over the headmaster's chair.

"He's sleeping."

"So? I'll wake him up," Harry said, walking over so he was standing directly in front of the desk.

"Professor? Professor Dumbledore? Please wake up, sir," Harry said to the painting.

Dumbledore made a sound like a horse and opened his eyes.

"Severus? Is that you?" Dumbledore asked, still coming out of his sleep.

"No, sir. It's Harry P – Snape."

"Mr. Snape. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Well, sir. Do you remember about twenty-five years ago a boy that looked like James Potter came to your office to ask how to get back to his own time?" Harry asked the portrait.

"Would you be that Harry Potter?" Dumbledore asked shrewdly.

"Yes, sir, I would."

"I see. But you do not look like the Harry Potter I met. You look like the Harry Snape that went to my school," Dumbledore said, piercingly blue eyes staring out at Harry from behind the half-moon spectacles he knew so well.

"Yeah. Well, that's probably because I messed up my timeline," Harry said weakly.

"Did you do something that was not supposed to happen before you came to see me?"

"I – told Snape to tell my mother that he loved her. That was never supposed to have happened," Harry said, not looking Dumbledore in the eyes.

"I see." Harry looked up at the portrait to see the blue eyes x-raying him the way they had in life.

"Can you help me fix what I did, Professor? Please?" Harry said, pleading with the portrait.

"Do you still have the Time-Turner?" asked Dumbledore.

"No. It fell out of my pocket when I got back here. I don't know where I lost it," Harry said, his heart sinking.

"Then you must find a way to shock the world back to the way it was," Dumbledore said.

"What do you mean?"

"You need to find something that will trigger the world back to the way it was," said Ginny for the first time since they had arrived.

"I can do that? I don't have to go back in time and change what I changed?" Harry asked, looking back-and-forth between Dumbledore's portrait and Ginny.

"Without the Time-Turner it is the only way to get your world back," spoke the painted former headmaster.

"Okay. So how do I find a trigger?" Harry asked, hoping against hope that Dumbledore would have the answer.

"Only you would know that," Dumbledore said in the same tone he had once told Snape that only he would know if murder would split his soul in two.

"Only I would know that? You don't know how I can trigger the change?" Harry asked, his heart sinking even further.

"I can not determine what your motive to change what happened was. Only you know that," Dumbledore said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I really do need to get back to sleep."

Having spent so much time in his youth with Dumbledore, Harry recognized a dismissal. Harry gestured to Ron and Ginny and exited the office with a heavy heart.


End file.
